FDF welcomes the government’s announcement of a new Free Trade Deal with India

Karen Betts, Chief Executive, The Food and Drink Federation, said:

"We’re delighted the government has finalised its new Free Trade Agreement with India, which is testament to the hard work of the negotiating team. This is very welcome news for UK food and drink manufacturers, particularly for soft drinks, chocolates, biscuits, crispbreads and crackers, which will now all benefit from tariff-free access to one of the fastest growing markets in the world. The UK exported nearly £300m worth of food and drink to India in 2024, so this FTA represents a significant opportunity for British food and soft drinks.

"The FTA will also provide UK manufacturers with greater access to ingredients produced in India, strengthening the supply chain resilience and competitiveness for our sector. We look forward to working with government to ensure that the full benefits of the agreement are realised across a wide range of UK food and drink manufacturers."

Background

In 2024 £293.8m of food and drink was exported from the UK to India, this was an increase of 14.6% on the previous year. Source: FDF Trade Snapshot 2024.